Chapter 1

This was the project mentioned in the previous post. Although only the first chapter, input is appreciated.

Gold and pink glow from beyond the rooftops as I shuffle down the sandpaper-like surface of my roof. Carefully, I climb down the drainpipe, and jump off three feet from the ground, my feet leaving a dark imprint in the dew soaked grass. I can feel tiny flecks of tile material embedded into my feet and the palms of my hands while I retrieve my socks and shoes from the front step of the house. Facing towards the sunrise, I begin walking, softly whistling myself a tune in rhythm with my hasty footsteps.

Ten minutes later, I arrive at my place of employment. A small blue building in the downtown, with large windows and a bland looking sign hanging parallel with the horizon that simply reads "Coffee", and as a joke, is now unofficially the name of the establishment. I push the door open with one hand and step inside. I survey the place, and let a weak smile creep over my face. The red and white tiles run unevenly across the floor, not lining up perfectly with either the walls or the front counter. Black marks from the chairs being repeatedly scootched about the floor, moved from one table to another to accommodate uneven party numbers. Seven steps later I'm behind the counter, and am flicking on the various hot beverage machines, putting money for change inside the register, and turning on the stereo, as soft, romantic jazz floods Coffee.

Feeling an uneasy sensation fire down my spine, I look up, and simultaneously, the bell loosely tied to the door rings. To my excitement and relief, my co-worker, Marcy walks in. At the threshold she stops, her shoulder-length red hair unpredictably buffeted around her face, and our eyes lock.

The doorbell rings, and I can see her standing at the threshold again, Marcy's warm eyes shimmering with moisture while she sniffles out a timid request to come inside

I look back and I realize I shouldn't have.

Her hand grabbing mine firmly, I can feel her tongue probing inside my mouth, experimenting with the taste, the sensation. I can taste coffee on her breath. It's soothing.

I regret my rash choice. No good will come of what I have done.

On the table next to us, my phone is angrily buzzing, as if trying to dissuade our current course of actions. She cries out my name as I slowly enter her for the first time, and I can feel her hands sliding down my back and through my hair. A second time my phone vibrates, but this time, there is a certain desperation to it's cry. Just for a moment my eyes shift over.

Cloe.

For a moment, we stand, seven paces between us, and I utter a feeble greeting toward her. The gaze we share, wavers, and then in silence nods toward me. This is not the same girl that stood crying on my doorstep last night. In an act of guilt, I look down toward the staff book we have below the counter, and start penciling in dates for people to work, my thoughts underwhelmed by the mundane nature of this task. I can hear Marcy humming along with some sensual bassline over the cheap speakers as she sweeps, her stare locked with the floor, as if fixated by dust.

Years of quiet conversation later, a customer finally walks in. A young college student with white running shoes and a green t-shirt, emblazoned with a sports logo. I forget what he asked for as I make it in the disposable cup. He quickly thanks me as he drops a nickle in the tip jar and spins on his heels to walk out the door. He nods at Marcy and reflexively, she smiles at him.

She begins sobbing on the sofa when I tell her I'll be there for her. She's heard that from me before, uttered in the exact same way. This is different.

"D... Does Chloe know yet?" I hear a timid voice come from the corner. Her hands are folded in front of her in a gesture of genuine fear.
"No. She doesn't... and Marcy, I've been mulling it over. I... we made a mistake. I think it would be for the best if we could recognize that, and do what we can to forget." I suddenly become overly conscious of every motion. I swallow as the hollow words come from my lips, and blink, trying to make myself appear resolve in front of my friend.
"I was hoping you'd say that. About it all though, I'm sorry." She takes a single step towards me.

*PROJECT ALERT*

I am working on a new story. It is time consuming
That is all.

10 Lessons

An idea from a friend, ten lessons I've learned in life... let's see...

1. The customer is not always right. In fact, they are wrong more often than not.

2. Using your voice is good for you. Reading, singing, mumbling to yourself is the best therapy in the world.

3. Don't read too deeply into compliments. Somebody is just trying to say something nice, and may not know how to word it perfectly

4. Complaining is a waste of time.

5. Magic is real. Anyone who tells you otherwise is dead inside.

6. Expressing yourself is healthy

7. Odds are, you are incorrect. Unless disproved directly though, assume you are not.

8. Not my quote, but still applicable- "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

9. Kissing is awesome

10. Taking the frivolous things seriously, and the important things lightly is a hard, but rewarding outlook on life.

What Makes a Man?

In three months from yesterday, I will be an adult.

I am not ready to be one of them yet.

People will look at me and say, "Look a grown-up who hasn't grown-up yet. Just another boy caught in a man's body."

What makes a man? What can differentiate me from the child that I'm little more than? Age? Sex? Money? Wisdom? Understanding his world? Guiding others to the truths you think you know? Accomplishing yourself, making a name?

What is a grown up?

What am I?

All those houses the built in the nineties finally fall.

So can you understand why I want a daughter while I'm still young? I wanna hold her hand, show her some beauty before all this damage is done.

*UPDATE*

Sorry about the absence (to my four readers). Some bad stuff happened, so I did my best to fix it. Didn't work exactly, forced to cut losses, all that reality jazz. Just gotta pick on or the other, right?
Neighbor's house burned down, so now the eight of them, plus the six of us are living under one roof. Crazy, suffice it to say. It's good to help out however I can though, even if that means giving up my bedroom, and suffering from horrible sleep... as in, worse that usual. Whatever. I'll get over it.
I'm part of a vlogging group, "The Kaleidoscope Vloggers". It's pretty fun, but still needs more structure. I can see it becoming something really fantastic and enjoyable though.
Am in a new semester of school, which is all well and good. New classes, new faces (sort of, anyways), fun stuff.

Aaaand.... that's about all, I think. I will make more of an effort to write more in the near future
Until then!